Signboard



L. R. LONG.

SIGNBOABD.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 27, 1920. 1,364,635. Patented Jan. 4, 1921..

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LEWISR. LONG, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

SIGNBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 27, 1920. Serial No. 361,755.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis B. Low a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signboards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatically changeable sign, the construction being such that the different signs or indicia \\'Ill become visible intermittently.

In order to carry out the above object have provided a novel arrangement of mechanism whereby the sign will change at the end of uniform, intermittent periods.

The invention is shown as consisting of a plurality of pivoted. triangular frames and on the face of each'frame is suitable. indicia. the triangular frames or units being arranged so that there will be one face of each triangular frame alining with a complementary face on another triangular frame, the alining faces completing a suitable advertisement and the construction is such that all of the triangular frames. will be rotated simultaneously so that the proper complementary faces will properly cooperate to produce the completed sign of any one set of triangular frames.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of' a sign board or casing in which my improved form of mechanism is incased.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the top of a triangular frame, showing the .ring for engagement with the detent and the operating cam, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the detent showing one end against a cam shoulder of the ring on the triangular frame.

Referring now to the. drawings by numerals of reference:

1 designates a housing or frame having a bottom 2 and a top bar 3. The top bar extends substantially the length of the housing or frame 1 and assists the bottom in sup porting the respective units of the changeable sign. 1

I have shown a plurality of units of triangular, form in cross section. Each unit consists of vertical angles 4 connected by cross bars 5 to form a triangular frame, the cross bars 5 supporting a ring 6 at the top of the frame which connects the annular head 7 by cam web portions 8. The web portions 8 have shoulders 9 to be engaged by an actuator operated by appropriate mechanism so that the. triangular frame can be rotated one-thrid of a revolution for each impulse movement of the actuating mechanism. Therefore, there is shown on the triangular frame (Fig. 3) three cam Webs, one for each face to be presented as part'of a complete sign.

The ring is provided with three notches 10, 1 1 and 12, substantially V-shaped in cross section so that a detent may frictionally slide into and out of engagement with the notches or recesses 10, 11 and 12 to hold the units temporarily 'in their proper position with respect to their complementary sections so that accidental rotative movement of any unit will be prevented.

The respective units are rotatably mounted in the bottom 2 and'top bar 3. The head 7 of each of the units carries a trunnion 13 journaled in the top bar 3 and a similar trunnion is shown mounted in a bearing 14 on the bottom 2.

There may be as many sections or units as desired but in Fig. 1 I have shown four sec: tions and these sections are adapted to be operated by a pitman carrying a springpresscd bolt to engage the respective shoulders 9 in succession.

The mechanism for actuating the pitman and bolt is best shown in Fig. 1 as consisting of a source of power 15, shown as an electric motor, on the shaft 16 of which is a worm 17 meshing with a horizontal worm gear 18, suitably supported in the case 1. The gear 18 carries a wrist pin 19, to which is pivoted a link 20, also having pivotal connection at 21 with a pitman 22 which carries spring-pressed bolts for engagement with the shoulders 9 to actuate the respective rotatable units.

Suitably spaced on the pi'iman 22 are spring pressed bolts or pawls 23 having shoulder-engaging ends 24. passing through the pitman22 and each bolt or pawl is pro- Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

vided with a rigid collar 25, against which one end of a spring 26 bears, the other end bearing against a yoke-shaped guide 27 (see Fig. 4) so that the portion 24 is always projected through the opening in the pitman.

The link 20 where it is connected to the pitman 22 is provided with an elongated slot 28 so that as the gear 18 rotates, there will be a sufiicient lost motion between the link and the pitman to allow a determined movement of the link before the pitman is actuated; thus preventing a too rapid actuation of therespective sign units and, consequently, prolonging the period during which the sign units are stationary in any set position, it being desired that the units turn quickly and then remain stationary for a definite period of time, dependent upon the size and speed of the gear 18 and the length of the slot 28.

Yhen the gear 18 is rotated and the link 20 actuates the pittnan in one direction, a bolt or pawl 24: will engage behind the shoulder 9 and rotate a unit one-third of a revolution, it being understood that there are a number of bolts or pawls 24 corresponding to the number of units to be turned and that all of the pawls will registerwith all of the shoulders 9 at one time.

The mechanism is set so that a full stroke of the pitman in one direction will rotate the units only one-third of a revolution and then the gear will begin to retract the link and,

consequently, the pitman 22, causing the bolts or pawls 2-1 to ride on the cam surfaces of the webs until they slip over the shoulders 9. During the time that the bolts 01' dogs are being retracted over the cam surface, the sign units will be stationary and they will only be actuated upon the thrust movement of the pitman.

While the bolts'or pawls 24 are being retracted over the cam surfaces, there will be some liability of the friction between the members 24 and the cam surfaces causing rotation or partial rotation of the units if some means were not devised for holding the units in their set positions. To this end I have provided a detent for every unit. Each detent, consisting of a spring-pressed bolt or dog 29 is in detail substantially like the bolts 24 shown in Fig. 4, but these detents are adapted to engage in the recesses or notches 10, 11 and 12 successively at the completion of the turning movement of the resfiective units.

3y reason of the fact that the recesses or notches 10, 11 and 12 are V-shapedin cross section, it will be apparent that the detents may readily slide into engagement with the same when the units are rotated, since the vent accidental turning of the units.

When the parts are all assembled and the mechanism is operated as above described, the various units will turn in unison to present a completed sign from the face of the sign board or casing and after a definite period, a new face or sign will be presented, then a third face or sign will be presented beforejthe cycle is repeated, it being understood that with such a board as illustrated in the drawings, three separate and distinct signs or advertising panels may be presented intermittently, the cycle being repeated as long as the mechanism operates.

I lIEIXB found that such a mechanism is inexpensive, durable and will readily perform the function for which the device is intended.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A device of the class described comprising rotatable indiciacarrying frames having complementary alini-ng faces and mounted for rotation on fixed vertical axes, and mechanism for simultaneously rotating the said frames to successively present their complementary alining faces. said mechanism including a pitman for actuating the frames, a link having lost motion connection with the pitman and means for actuating the link to impart movement to the pitman.

2. A device of the class described comprising rotatable indicia-carrying frames having complementary alining faces and mounted for rotation on fixed vertical axes, and mechanism for simultaneously rotating the said frames tosuccessively present their complementary alining faces, said mechanism including a ring carried by each of said frames and having a groove with a plurality of shoulders therein, apitman provided with spring pressed bolts operating in the said grooves and adapted to engage the said shoulders for rotating the frames and means for causing intermittent movement of the pitman.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

LEl/VIS R. LONG. 

